Roller-skate



UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREV FRENCH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROLLER-SKATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,361Ldated March 9, 1880.

Application tiled June 17, 1879.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, ANDREW FRENCH, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brakes for Roller-Skates and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will 'enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,`which form part of this specication, in which- Figuresl, 2, and 3 are longitudinal vertical sections of a skate with my improved brake that it will come into operation when the toe of the skate is raised in going forward, but will not operate to interfere with the skate or impede its movement when rolling backward or when going forwardly with the front rollers on the door or ground. My invention has for its further object to prevent shock or jar resulting from the sudden application of a perfectly rigid brake.

My improvements consist, rst, of a brakeshoe constructed as hereinafter described, and hung loosely between the rear or heel rollers of a skate, so that when the toe of the skate is raised in going forwardly said shoe will come in contact with the floor or ground beneath and operate as a brake, while when the skate is moving backward, or when going forward with the toe-rollers on the ground or floor, said shoe will be swung up and out of operative position; and, second, in the combination, with the brake-shoe, of a cushion or buffer so applied as to relieve or lessen the jar or shock occasioned by the meeting of said shoe with the surface of the door or ground, and thereby prevent the too sudden stoppage of the forward movement of the skate.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the foot-plate or body, and B and B', respectively, the front and rear or toe and heel rollers, of a roller-skate of the usual or any suitable construction.

C represents a bracket or hanger secured to the foot-plate A, between the rear rollers, B', and having lugs or links c, which afford bearin gsror supports for a rod, c', on whichis loosely hung a brake-shoe, D. Said brake-shoe is of segmental form, its perimeter from d to d being the segment of a circle described from the rod c as a center.

cl2 shows the arm of the shoe through which the rod c passes, and d3 a dog projecting rearwardly from said arm.

E is a rubber cushion or buffer fastened to the plate o2 of the bracke in such position that when the shoe D swings backwardly, as hereinafter described, the dog d3 will come in contact with said buffer or cushion and press upon it.

The operation is substantially as follows: When the skate is in use and moving forwardly or backwardly, with its front and rear rollers on the ground, the shoe D hangsin the position shown in Fig. l, where it is inoperative, and where it will not affect or impede the movement of the skate. If in going backward the toe of the skate be raised, the shoe D will be brought in contact with the ground, but will swing forwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, causing the dog cl3 to move farther away from. the cushion E, and no brake action will be produced; but if the toe of the skate be 'raised in going forward, the shoe D will be broughtainto contact with the ground and caused to swing backwardly, raising the dog d3 until it meets and presses against the' buer or cushion E, as shown in Fig. 3. This will produce a brake action on the ground or door, and will impede IOO 4. In combination with the swinging brake shoe D, having projection or dog d3, thel buffer 15 or cushion E, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

ANDREW FRENCH.

Witnesses:

GEO. G. SHELMERDINE, SAML. J. VAN STAVOREN. 

